Bodyguard Buddhas

Whether by praying to peaceful loving deities like the female Buddha Tara or by invoking the terrifying wrath of fierce deities like the buffalo-headed Yamantaka, Tibetan Buddhists frequently turn to protectors for help on the Buddhist path. Protectors serve many functions, from guarding against bodily harm, disease, war to warding off enemies—most importantly, the enemies of our own pride, jealously, anger, attachment, and ignorance.
In a lecture titled "Bodyguard Buddhas: Protector Deities in Tibetan Buddhism," Dr. Sara McClintock of Emory’s Department of Religion will introduce stories and practices connected to the key protector deities on display on the Alice S. Kandell Shrine, considering their roles as guardians of the Dharma both historically and in relation to individual practice.